Meet Robert

Robert Drozd is a husband of 20-plus years, first-generation American, father of two teenage daughters, and a recently-retired Air Force officer. He works as a national security professional under contract to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Robert was born to an English mother, and Robert's father was a WWII refugee from Poland. Robert was born outside Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio, and chose to make Maryland his home after serving in eight different states and three foreign countries. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Wright State University and Master’s Degrees in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Military Operational Art and Science from the Air Force’s Air University.

Robert is a 27-year veteran who served as a space and missile operations officer, building credentials in strategic deterrence (from nuclear operations & strategy to arms control policy & execution), responsive space capabilities, and leadership development. Along the way he taught at undergraduate and graduate levels, commanded an award-winning Honor Guard, volunteered within his communities, and represented the US Government abroad and at home. He entered the Air Force as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch officer in Montana, rising to serve as both wing Senior Evaluator Deputy Commander and squadron Instructor/Evaluator Commander, and later taught ICBM operations at the USAF “schoolhouse,” earning a Master Instructor rating.

He met and married the former Tina Howard of Northridge, California, and promptly left for a remote assignment in Greece, where he directed Squadron Command Post operations. He and Tina were reunited in Germany, where Robert cut his teeth in the international arms control arena with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Their daughter, Juliana, was born in Germany, and the family then reported to Alabama to attend Air Command & Staff College. At US Space Command and US Strategic Command, he led advocacy for the development of Operationally Responsive Space capabilities, and welcomed their second daughter, Callie, to the world in Omaha, Nebraska. Robert brought his full range of experience to the Air Staff in Washington, where he guided nuclear operations policy & strategy; international arms control treaty negotiations & implementation; space operations policy; ballistic missile defense policy; and countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD) plans & policy as Deputy Chief of the Strategic Plans & Policy Division. He was next selected to command AFROTC Detachment 550 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute outside Albany, New York, where he taught air & space studies and prepared new undergraduate students to become Air Force officers. He postponed retirement to accept an exchange officer assignment on the Directing Staff of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, where he facilitated, lectured, and developed curriculum for rising senior, multinational military and civilian leaders. Robert concluded his career back on the Air Staff leading international arms control and CWMD policy, and retired in Maryland in late 2016.

Colonel Drozd was a Command Missileer with 5000+ combat crew hours, and a Master Space Operations Officer. His military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaves, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf, and Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaves clusters. He also holds the Air Force ROTC Gold Medal of Valor for heroism while a cadet.

Robert and his family live in Silver Spring. Tina works for a Gaithersburg-based automotive company, and Juliana & Callie are both nationally-competitive figure skaters, as well as top scholars.

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“Vision without funding is hallucination!” (anon Army Major) Bringing balanced voices to Maryland governance requires your continuing support. If you believe in my campaign and the efforts needed to change Annapolis politics, please donate to further the cause. With tremendous appreciation and gratitude, Robert Drozd.